Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jul 15, 2025

Omicron spike in most vaccinated German state heralds nationwide surge

Omicron spike in most vaccinated German state heralds nationwide surge

The northern German maritime state of Bremen has the country's highest COVID-19 vaccination rate by far, but it has become the hardest-hit by the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, reporting the highest infection rate of any region in Germany.
Experts say that the spike in Bremen could herald where Germany as a whole is heading in the coming days.
The seven-day infection rate in Bremen stood at 800 cases per 100,000 residents on Thursday, the highest in Germany and more than double

the national rate of 303, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases.

"I assume that Bremen is just a little further ahead than other federal states," said Hajo Zeeb of the Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology in Bremen.

He said he expected many of Germany's federal states to report infection rates similar to Bremen in the coming days.

Germany's leaders are set to discuss how to respond to the Omicron variant later on Friday, with measures including shortening COVID-19 self-isolation periods over fears that critical services could grind to a halt as case numbers spike.

Bremen's location near the Netherlands and Denmark, where Omicron has already become the dominant variant, could be one reason for the higher infection rate in the state, Zeeb said.

Omicron now accounts for more than 85% of coronavirus infections in Bremen, well above the national figure of around 44%, according to data from the RKI on Thursday.

Also, the city's success in inoculating most of its residents early last year could be another reason.

"You have possibly now more of a vaccine gap than others who were a bit later (with the vaccination)," he said.

Studies have shown that protection against Omicron wanes over the course of several months and increases again following a booster shot.

Close to 84% of the population in Bremen, the smallest of Germany's 16 federal states with fewer than 700,000 people, are double-vaccinated, compared with a national figure of around 72%. Some 44% have received a booster shot, compared with 42% nationally.

Bremen is also a somewhat more accurate representation of the actual figures in Germany because coronavirus testing there did not slow during the holiday season as it did in many other regions, Zeeb added.

Last week, German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said the number of new cases had been under-reported and the actual incidence rate of infections was about two or three times higher than the officially reported figure.

The state's government on Thursday introduced further restrictions to curb infections, including requiring a negative rapid test or proof of a booster shot to enter restaurants or cultural events, in addition to proving double-vaccination.

Despite the record infection rate in Bremen, the state's hospitals were not as burdened as they were in the first three waves of the pandemic as patients infected with the new variant were coming in with milder symptoms, said Lukas Fuhrmann, spokesperson for Bremen's health senate.

Doctors say the situation in hospitals could however soon worsen and that non-intensive care units were already overburdened with patients with milder lung symptoms.

The city of Bremen's seven-day hospitalisation incidence was 13.6 cases per 100,000 people on Thursday, three times the national incidence of around 3.

"The situation is certainly a nightmare," said Felix Diekmann, the medical director at St. Joseph-Stift hospital in Bremen. Although the situation is still manageable, the city might have to send COVID-19 patients to other states if it runs out of its intensive care beds, he said.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
×